It has been found that a disk is often placed under a flower pot so as to receive excessive water for preventing the water from overflowing to contaminate the environment. However, since the disk and the flower pot are closely connected together, this will block the air convection and may have a large number of mosquitoes and the like develop there. In addition, it is unfortunate that many expensive plants often die of excessive or insufficient water. Hence, many attempts have been made to provide a watering system which can automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Nevertheless, all watering systems in the market are impractical and inconvenient to use, and they are too complicated in structure and too expensive in cost.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,975 to Weitzel 2d, a watering attachment for flower-pots is disclosed. Such a device includes an annular container for receiving water, hinged arms adapted to be swung inwardly for engagement with upper edge of the flower pot, and a needle valve for providing intermittent dropping of the water from the container into the flower pot. However, the Weitzel reference utilizes a mechanical means to supply constantly a certain amount of water to the flower pot and so it cannot automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Further, it is necessary to mount the watering device on a flower pot before the flower or the like is planted in the flower pot. Furthermore, once the flower is planted in the flower pot, it will be very difficult and inconvenient to dismount the watering device therefrom. Moreover, such a watering device must be adapted to a corresponding flower pot and cannot be used for larger or smaller flower pots. In addition, the structure thereof is too complicated thus making it infeasible for mass production and popular uses.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,976 to Weitzel 2d, the device for watering flower pots is designed to regulate and adjust the water flow to drip at a constant rate at all times. This device mainly comprises a circular closed tank engageable with the upper edge of a flower pot, a wall partitioning the tank into a large supply chamber and a small feed chamber, a valve connection between the large supply chamber and the small feed chamber, and an adjustable valved discharge outlet. Nevertheless, as the previous U.S. Pat., this reference still fails to suggest a device which can automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Besides, the device according to this reference is inconvenient in use and also complicated in structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,400,628 to Rudolph teaches a self-irrigating flower pot which utilizes an absorbent wick extending from a water chamber to the soil within the flower pot and controls the quantity of water supplied to the soil by drawing a U-shaped rod upward through the rotation of a nut so as to compress the absorbent wick against a plate. Although this reference obviates the drawback of the above-mentioned two U.S. patents, this reference is not an independent watering system and must be specially designed and constructed with a flower pot thus increasing the cost thereof. In addition, the hooks according to this reference cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with various sizes. This reference is impractical in household use and also complicated in structure.
Another watering system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,332, entitled "FLOWER POT WATERING DEVICE", and designed for providing continuous moisture for the soil within a flower pot so that the flower pot may be left unattended for a certain period of time. Such a device makes use of an absorbent wick to transfer water from a receptacle through a tubular stake and guide member projected into the soil within the flower pot. Anyhow, this reference must be disposed on a higher position than the flower pot and cannot be directly hanged on the flower pot thereby causing much inconvenience in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,121 to Modeweg, entitled "PLANT IRRIGATING DEVICE", discloses a device aimed at facilitating the controlled irrigation of potted plants from a central reservoir. This device includes a central reservoir, a tubular member, a spring clip surrounding the tubular member, a nozzle adapted to be inserted into the soil within a flower pot, a rotatable sleeve member mounted on the nozzle, and an absorbent wick. However, this reference is designed for supplying water to a plurality of flower pots in a garden at the same time and cannot be conveniently mounted on various flower pots. Accordingly, this reference is only suitable for gardening and is in no way relevant to the subject invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,807 to Wall, entitled "DEVICE FOR WATERING AND FEEDING PLANTS, FLOWERS AND THE LIKE", a device for watering and feeding plants is disclosed. Such a device mainly comprises a water container hanged on the upper edge of a flower pot and a tube extending from the water container to the bottom of the flower pot so that the water will flow into the soil within the flower pot by a capillary or combined capillary and siphon system. Nevertheless, this reference cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes and furthermore, this reference is inconvenient to use, as it is necessary to use a separate spade to dig up all the soil in the flower pot and bury the lower part of the tube into the lowest part of the interior of the flower pot before using this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,143 to Alwell, entitled "PLANT WATERING REMINDER", is directed to a plant watering device adapted for use to a flower pot. Such a device comprises a housing means engageable with the upper edge of a flower pot, a retaining means for keeping the housing means in a fixed position, a reservoir for receiving water, a fluid transferring means extending from the reservoir into the soil within the flower pot, and a stop means for preventing the fluid transferring means from falling down. Nevertheless, as the previous U.S. patent to Wall, this watering device cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes hence making it inconvenient to use. In addition, it is necessary to plant the flower or the like in the flower pot after mounting the device thereon, which is not practical at all. Besides, once the flower is planted in the flower pot, it will be very difficult to dismount the device therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,951 to Becker et al, entitled "APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FLUIDS TO POTTED PLANTS", concerns a plant watering apparatus which is designed to be removably associated with potted plants. Such a device includes a fluid reservoir having a cover, a soil probe unit having an axially extending wick receiving passage, an absorbent wick extending from the fluid reservoir into the passage of the probe, and a sliding door for changing the area of the absorbent in contact with the soil within the flower pot. However, this reference is not suitable for use with small flower pots and the sliding door will increase the cost thereof. Furthermore, it is necessary for people to remove the whole device from the flower pot when they desire to adjust the sliding door thus rendering it inconvenient and impractical in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,829 to Zeltner et al, entitled "MOISTURE CONTROL APPARATUS", discloses an apparatus for controlling moisture content in soil within a flower pot. However, this reference fails to disclose a watering system for supplying water to a flower pot. Further, this reference does not suggest or teach a watering system which can be conveniently mounted on the upper edge of a flower pot in use.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,627 to Hauk, entitled "PLANT FEEDING AND WATERING METHOD AND APPARATUS", a plant watering system is disclosed. According to this reference, the system includes a container for receiving fluid, a first absorbent wick, a second absorbent wick, a means for retaining part of the first absorbent wick in constant contact with the part of the second absorbent wick, and a plate-shaped member for controlling contact area between the first absorbent wick and the second absorbent wick. Anyway, this reference is too complicated in structure and as all the above-mentioned references, it is still necessary to use a separate tool to dig up the soil and bury the absorbent into the soil within the flower pot before use. Besides, such a plant watering system cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A-35258/89 to Schadel, entitled "WATERING WAND", discloses a plant watering system which includes a fluid reservoir and a wick extending from the reservoir to the vicinity of roots of the plant wherein the wick is used for conveying water by capillary action from the reservoir to the plant and the wick is provided with an inner core and a substantially moisture impervious cover. However, the watering system according to this application cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with various sizes and still requires a separate spade to bury the wick into the flower pot.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A1-71 275/81 to Few, entitled "PLASTIC IRRIGATION BAG", is related to a watering device which includes a reservoir for containing water, an opening formed in the upper part of the reservoir, an outlet formed in the lower part of the reservoir and communicating with a flexible tube, and a flow rate control valve for controlling the flow of water from the reservoir through the flexible tube. Nevertheless, as the previous Australian Pat. to Schadel, the hanger according to the said Few reference is fixedly connected with the reservoir and cannot be replaced with a larger one for adapting to a larger flower pot. In addition, it is still necessary to use a separate tool to dig up the soil and bury the supply tube therein. Furthermore, such watering device cannot automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A-27485/84, entitled "PLANT WATERER", is related to a portable plant waterer which includes a storage vessel adapted to be filled with water and having a waterproof tube, means for supporting the vessel in a position generally above the soil surrounding a plant, and a wick within the waterproof tube extending from within the vessel at the lowermost point in use through the tube to the outside of the vessel. However, the storage vessel is difficult to be supported firmly, and it will occupy a considerably large space when supported above the surface of the soil in a flower pot thereby obstructing the growth of the plant and the job of plant care. In addition, there is no indication of water refill and water consumption. Furthermore, it also needs a separate tool to dig the soil to fix this waterer. Accordingly, this reference is impractical in use.
International publication No. WO 87/06095, entitled "AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM FOR PLANTS IN POTS OR IN OPEN GROUND", is directed to a system for automatically watering plants in the flower pot or in the open ground. The system utilizes a wick enclosed in a waterproof tube to transfer water in a receptacle to a flower pot. However, this reference cannot be conveniently mounted on a flower pot. In addition, the water regulator is complicated in structure and difficult to judge in practical use. Further, it is necessary to use a separate spade to dig up the soil in the flower pot and bury the lower part of the tube into the flower pot hence causing much inconvenience in use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved plant irrigation system which may obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.